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Material World: Charging Up Textiles

Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.

Revoltech

MATTR is versatile and flexible, ready to shape itself into a range of design applications.
MATTR is versatile and flexible, ready to shape itself into a range of design applications. Revoltech

German startup Revoltech just dropped a new sustainable material. Meet MATTR: an algae-based, biodegradable material that complements the company’s flagship offering, LOVR, which is made from hemp fibers. 

“Think of MATTR as LOVR’s dynamic sibling,” Revoltech said. “Connected by shared values but offering a unique experience in touch and feel.”

And just like LOVR, MATTR is an acronym: Material, Algae-based, Tender, Toxin-free and Renewable/Responsible. The name is also a play on words, reflecting Revoltech’s commitment to making materials that matter. 

“With MATTR, we’re pushing the boundaries of what sustainable materials can be. Algae is such a unique and renewable resource that not only offers a flexible, biodegradable solution but also helps counteract CO2 emissions,” said Lucas Fuhrmann, Revoltech’s CEO. “At Revoltech, we believe in materials that feel just as good for the environment as they do to the touch—and MATTR is a natural next step in this journey. We’re eager to see how our partners and collaborators help bring this innovative material to life.”

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Algae is used as the foundation of MATTR, considering its naturally renewable, abundant and fast-growing resource that actually absorbs carbon emissions. That algae-based composition is sustainably sourced and has the potential to be climate-positive. It’s also toxin-free, devoid of microplastics and biodegradable—making the material safe to produce, use and, eventually, dispose of. 

The resulting material has a natural, “subtly textured” surface that gives off a “casual, lived-in vibe.” MATTR is soft and warm to the touch, a bit stretchy and, most importantly, offers a “comfortable feel that evolves with use.” 

“MATTR fulfills my grand vision of interweaving design and nature. It’s inspiring to blend the worlds of industry and bio-innovation with an artistic approach here in the Revoltech lab. The result is a product with genuine impact—made from renewable resources, with a unique softness and refined appearance,” said Sabrina Laura Kliese, inventor of MATTR. “What will you create with it?” 

Revoltech is looking to partner with brands and designers who want to take MATTR into their own hands. 

Chalmers University of Technology

A research group led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden presents an ordinary silk thread coated with a conductive plastic material that shows promising properties for turning textiles into electricity generators. Here, a button is sewn with the new thread.
A research group led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden presents an ordinary silk thread coated with a conductive plastic material that shows promising properties for turning textiles into electricity generators. Here, a button is sewn with the new thread. Chalmers University of Technology

A research group led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden has developed a silk thread that has “promising properties” for generating electricity—meaning an ordinary sweater could, potentially, charge an iPhone.

Considering thermoelectric textiles can convert the temperature difference between the human body and the surrounding area into electrical energy—which can be used to power sensors without batteries—this development is of “great benefit” to the apparel industry. The research group coated this thread with a conductive plastic polymer material with a chemical structure that makes it electrically conductive and “well adapted” to textile applications.

“The polymers that we use are bendable, lightweight and are easy to use in both liquid and solid form,” said Mariavittoria Craighero, an author of the study and doctoral student at the department of chemistry and chemical engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. “They’re also nontoxic.”

The method used to make the electrically conductive thread is the same as that used in previous studies within the same research project. Those efforts featured threads with metals as to maintain its stability in contact with air. But since then, “advances have been made,” the group said. It’s now possible to manufacture the thread with only organic—aka, carbon-based—polymers. In the latest study, the researchers developed a new type of thread with enhanced electrical conductivity and stability.

“We found the missing piece of the puzzle to make an optimal thread—a type of polymer that had recently been discovered. It has outstanding performance stability in contact with air, while at the same time having a very good ability to conduct electricity,” Craighero said. “By using polymers, we don’t need any rare earth metals, which are common in electronics.”

The researchers manufactured two thermoelectric generators—a button sewn with the thread and a piece of textile with sewn-in threads—to demonstrate how the thread can be used.  When the thermoelectric textiles were placed between a hot and a cold surface, the team could observe how the voltage increased on the measuring instrument. The effect depended on the temperature difference and the textile’s conductive material.

“As an example, the larger piece of fabric showed about 6 millivolts at a temperature difference of 30 degrees Celsius,” per a statement from the group. “In combination with a voltage converter, it could theoretically be used to charge portable electronics via a USB connector.”

The researchers also confirmed that the machine washable thread’s performance is maintained for at least a year.

“After seven washes, the thread retained two-thirds of its conducting properties,” Craighero said. “This is a very good result, although it needs to be improved significantly before it becomes commercially interesting.”

The thermoelectric fabric and button cannot be produced efficiently outside the lab environment today, the university said. The material must be made and sewn in by hand, which is time-consuming; “just sewing it into the demonstrated fabric required four days of needlework,” per the report. But considering the potential ramifications of the thread, it’s worth automating and scaling that process.

“We have now shown that it is possible to produce conductive organic materials that can meet the functions and properties that these textiles require,” said Christian Müller, professor at the department of chemistry and chemical engineering at Chalmers University of Technology and research leader of the study. “This is an important step forward. There are fantastic opportunities inthermoelectric textiles and this research can be of great benefit to society.”

MCM x Mirum

MCM continues its journey toward an eco-conscious offering by introducing the plastic-free leather alternative, Mirum.
MCM continues its journey toward an eco-conscious offering by introducing the plastic-free leather alternative, Mirum. Courtesy

German luxury label MCM doubled down on its commitment to prioritize sustainable practices. So, the “terrible enfant” introduced Natural Fiber Welding‘s Mirum for its latest capsule collection—fulfilling the brand’s long-desired goal of using a leather alternative free of fossil fuels and plastic.

“MCM is the leader of a ‘New School of Luxury‘ where sustainability is our ultimate goal enabled by our digital transformation. For us, our efforts toward sustainability include enhancing business efficiency and working to reduce environmental impact,” said Sung-Joo Kim, MCM’s chairperson and chief visionary officer. “As a leading luxury fashion house, MCM is committed to contributing positively to society and the environment.”

Created by the biomaterials company in Illinois, Mirum is made from virgin natural materials and repurposed agricultural by-products, such as natural rubber, plant oils and waxes as well as natural pigments and minerals. Mirum’s carbon footprint is only 5 percent of that of traditional leather, per MCM, and 30-40 percent of the impact of other leather alternatives like polyurethane. Some versions of Mirum are made from raw materials sourced through regenerative initiatives.

Following a two-year creative collaboration, MCM presents the Mirum Capsule Collection in a classic black colorway, refreshing the Himmel Shopper with two size options now available online.

Drexel University

Researchers from Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania and Accenture Labs have developed a process for using MXene ink to print a textile energy grid that can be charged wirelessly.
Researchers from Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania and Accenture Labs have developed a process for using MXene ink to print a textile energy grid that can be charged wirelessly. Courtesy

Researchers from Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania and Accenture Labs have built an entire textile energy grid that can be wirelessly charged. The team reported that it can power textile devices, including a warming element and environmental sensors that transmit real-time information.

Their recent study, published in the journal Materials Today, describes the process and viability of building the grid by printing on nonwoven cotton textiles with ink composed of MXene, a type of nanomaterial created at Drexel. MXene is highly conductive and durable enough to withstand the laundering of clothing.

This proof-of-concept represents an important development for wearable technology, which is currently burdened by bulky batteries.

“These bulky energy supplies typically require rigid components that are not ideal for two main reasons,” said Yury Gogotsi, a professor at Drexel’s College of Engineering and research lead. “First, they are uncomfortable and intrusive for the wearer and tend to fail at the interface between the hard electronics and the soft textile over time—an issue that is especially difficult to tackle for e-textiles is the issue of washability.”

The team’s proposed textile grid was printed on a lightweight, flexible cotton substrate “the size of a small patch.” It featured a printed resonator coil—called an MX-coil—that converts electromagnetic waves into energy, enabling wireless charging. A series of three textile supercapacitors, previously developed by Drexel and Accenture, can store said energy for powering electronic devices.

The grid was able to charge at 3.6 volts wirelessly; enough to power wearable sensors as well as digital circuits in computers or small devices like wristwatches. Per the research, 15 minutes of charging produced enough energy to power small devices for more than 90 minutes. Furthermore, the performance “barely diminished” after an extensive series of bending and washing cycles simulating the wear-and-tear of garments.

Collaborators from the University of Pennsylvania demonstrated that it can also power wireless MXene-based biosensor electrodes, called MXtrodes, to monitor muscle movement.

“Beyond on-garment applications requiring energy storage, we also demonstrated use cases that may not require energy storage,” said Alex Inman, who helped perform this research during his internship at Accenture. “Situations with relatively sedentary users—an infant in a crib, a patient in a hospital bed—would allow direct power applications, such as continuously wireless powered monitoring of movement and vital signs.

That said, the team used the system to power an off-the-shelf array of temperature and humidity sensors as well as a microcontroller to broadcast the collected data in real time. A wireless charge of 30 minutes powered real-time broadcast from the sensors, what Drexel called a “relatively energy-intensive function,” for 13 minutes.

The team used the MX-coil to print the powered, on-textile heating element. The resulting “Joule heater” produced a temperature gain of about four degrees Celsius as a proof of concept.

“Many different technologies could be powered by wireless charging. The main thing to consider when picking an application is that it needs to make sense for a wearable application,” Gogotsi said. “We tend to think of biological sensors as a very enticing application because this is the future of health care. They can be integrated directly into textiles, increasing the quality and fidelity of the data and increasing user comfort. But our research shows that a textile-based power grid could power any number of peripheral devices: fiber-based LEDs for fashion or job safety, wearable haptics for AR/VR applications like job training and entertainment, and control external electronics when a standalone controller may be undesirable.”

The “next step” for developing this technology involves showing how the system can be scaled up without “diminishing its performance” or hindering its ability to be integrated into textiles. Gogotsi and Inman anticipate that MXene materials “hold the key” to translating various technologies into textile form. MXene ink can be applied to most common textile substrates, with several MXene-based devices used as proofs-of-concept.

“We are producing enough power from the wireless charging to power a lot of different applications, so the next steps come down to integration,” Inman said. “One large way MXene can help with this is that it can be used for many of these functionalities—conductive traces, antennae and sensors, for example—and you do not have to worry about material mismatches that may cause electrical or mechanical failure.”

The National Institutes of Health and Accenture supported the research.

In addition to Drexel’s Gogotsi and Inman, Bita Soltan Mohammadlou, Kateryna Shevchuk, James FitzPatrick and Iryna Roslyk, Accenture’s Jung Wook Park, Noah Pacik-Nelson, Eric M. Gallo and Andreea Danielescu contributed to this research as well as University of Pennsylvania’s Raghav Garg and Flavia Vitale.